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I’m very happy to announce the date for the next WOzFest:WOzFest SWEET16 will be held on Saturday 25 July 2020, starting at midday Sydney time (UTC+10:00).

The theme for WOzFest SWEET16 is “Community” – having supportive communities is important at the best of times, but especially so at the moment. The camaraderie involved in events like WOzFest certainly help me feel lucky in these trying times. So come and join my community for a few hours, no matter where you are in the world.

As per WOzFest COLOR=15, WOzFest SWEET16 will be streamed on Twitch via WOzFest TV for the whole duration. I’ll be aiming to do some productive work to stream, and will have some Skype calls as well.

Sidenote: For those who don’t know, SWEET16 was Steve Wozniak’s 16‑bit interpreted language for the 8‑bit Apple ][ which was included in the Apple ][ ROM (see source code image above, courtesy of Call-AP.P.L.E., which has re-issued The Wozpak, full of early Apple technical information, including about SWEET16). Sweet16 is also the name of SheppyWare’s IIgs emulator (which I believe is currently being re-written).

It seemed appropriate to have something from so early in the Apple ][‘s story (and written by Woz himself!) label what is likely to be the last “named” WOzFest.

I think I’ve done an OK job naming WOzFests 1-16 with Apple- and Apple ][-related names, but looking past 16 the field of names is rather sparse rather quickly. So it’s over to just boring numbers from here on out – unless I get sent a barrage of suggestions that cover me for 17 to 6502 before WOzFest 17 in October/November.

The mid-year WOzFest is usually tied in to KansasFest, and this year things are no different…well, except that everything is entirely different for both WOzFest and KansasFest at the moment.

The KansasFest Committee has decided to go virtual-only this year, and registrations opened this week – US$20 seems a bargain to me, so I’ve registered, and ordered a t-shirt to boot.

With the timing, WOzFest SWEET16 is going to be wedged in between the two days of KansasFest 2020. For me, Day 1 of KansasFest 2020 will run from midnight Friday night to 07:00 Saturday – I’ll then try and grab a few hours sleep/rest (unless there are unofficial events on to snag my attention), get finalised for WOzFest, then run 10 hours of that through to 22:00. Day 2 of KansasFest starts at midnight Saturday night and runs to 07:00 Sunday – I think I’ll be a wreck on Sunday when everything’s done.

But what a great Apple ][ weekend it’s going to be! KansasFest sounds like it’s going to have a huge international contingent of “attendees”, and it’ll be interesting to see which sessions suit virtual presentation. Oz KFest 2017 had quite a few virtual presentations and I think they worked quite well.

In review, WOzFest COLOR=15 was fun, even if I was by myself. It was definitely experimental on the WOzFest TV front, and, although viewers had to put up with audio issues for an hour or so, I figured out the issue (don’t overload your broadcasting computer with too many video sources to encode). I’m hoping to post video highlights soon with edited audio to overcome the choppiness.

I learnt a lot, got a lot of scene layout ideas, researched audio production on the Mac for streaming, and have now got what should be a much better setup and idea for how to make things look and sound better.

I’m expecting that at WOzFest SWEET16 I’ll be able to get back to software preservation with the Applesauce. Applesauce is John Morris’ phenomenal USB interface for Apple ][ disk drives which takes Apple ][ software preservation to new heights by capturing magnetic flux-level images of disks.

I’ve done little with the disks sent by Alex of the What is the Apple IIGS website since originally imaging them – I have tried cleaning some which had imaging issues, but have not achieved any results worthy of updating WOzFest.flux, my Internet Archive item of disks I’ve fluxed (that item forms part of the larger collection of such Applesauce flux image items, Flux Capacity). That lack of flux activity means I also still have to do the disks that Steve from Brisbane dropped off at WOzFest 14.25045 MHz.

While the whole COVID-19 situation meant WOzFest COLOR=15 had to be a sole-participant affair, there is some light at the end of the tunnel – the NSW State Government has eased restrictions as of yesterday and up to two adults can visit others.

So I might have a couple of attendees, and I’m thinking of having a Golden Ticket lottery to see who that might be – unless things free up even more in the next 12 weeks.

I’ve not yet organised any Skype calls – but I’m sure I’ll be able to rustle up some Apple ][ enthusiasts from around the world to participate.

For WOzFest SWEET16 I’m continuing to raise funds via Ko-Fi. This allows small (or large!) donations to be made – check out my intro post there for the lowdown, and feel free to drop anything you can in the tin to help me to run WOzFest moving forward.

I am in the process of raising funds via the sale of excess interface cards and disk drives which will see me back in the black as far as tools and equipment for streaming is concerned, so I thank the local community for their support in that.

Wow, what a month! When I announced WOzFest COLOR=15 I was looking forward to another fun get-together of fellow Apple ][ enthusiasts, and I’d already started planning to stream the day for those who couldn’t make it.

Now, communities around the world are in lockdown (Australia is heading down that path) and people’s lives are being turned upside down.

By mid-last week, I decided to go stream-only for WOzFest COLOR=15. While a difficult personal decision, it’s nothing compared to what some people are experiencing.

I love hosting WOzFest and I love having enthusiasts here at WOzFest HQ – but for the next short(?) while, we all have to pull our head in.

I still need help, though – while I won’t have physical attendees, I’d like to do Skypes during the day. If you’re tinkering, if you have something to share or say, if you’re releasing a new product, if you’re lonely, whatever – let me know what time suits between 01:00-11:00 UTC 4 April 2020 and I’ll try and schedule you in. Let’s go around the world, let’s go around Australia, let’s show this stupid virus it won’t dampen our enthusiasm for the Apple ][!

On a practical level, I’ve been able to utilise some donated equipment for my streaming setup – a recently donated iMac 27” with 32GB RAM and 2GB VRAM is powerful enough to do the video processing. Two donated cracked-screen iPhones are acting as webcams, a donated webcam is being used above my Applesauce Disk ][, and a donated Airport Express is creating a dedicated WiFi network for the iPhone webcams.

But I have had to purchase some items – three camera mounts, two extra long USB cables to keep the iPhones running, a USB hub – all up, I’ve spent about AU$140.

I’m passing the hat around via Ko-Fi and asking if you’d like to support the stream please consider a small contribution to this. Large contributions welcome, too, of course!

The intention is that all future WOzFests will be streamed, but I expect this expenditure to be a one-off.

So, via Skype or Twitch chat, I’m looking forward to talking to some of you on 4 April and sharing some of the work I’ll be doing on the day. If I can I’ll try and draw up a schedule – for example, I wanted to do an Applesaucing session and discuss usage tips, etc.

WOzFest COLOR=15 will mark a new era for WOzFest with the launch of WOzFest TV – that’s right, I aim to stream all future WOzFests via Twitch. I felt, with the celebration of the Apple ][‘s support for colour graphics (usually touted via connecting to the family TV), it was time to take the streaming plunge.

I’ve never streamed anything before, so this is definitely in the development/experimental stage, and I definitely need feedback on things like scene layouts and ideas for video sources and overlays.

I’ve had requests from non-attendees to stream for some time, and I can see the appeal for those who have never attended and can never get enough Apple ][ goodness, and also for prior attendees who can’t make any given WOzFest.

I’ll be incorporating any Skype calls, webcams from around WOzFest HQ, windows from tasks like Applesauce fluxing, and anything else that seems appropriate. For example, with the holding of QFest 15 to coincide with WOzFest COLOR=15, I’m planning on having a full-time Skype connection between the two ’Fests.

The Twitch URL is activated – I’ll announce on Twitter when I’m doing testing streams for layouts, etc., and the official Go Live will be at the start of WOzFest COLOR=15 on 4 April 2020 at 12:00 (UTC+11:00) – come and check it out and have a chat with us!

I’m very happy to announce the date for the next WOzFest, WOzFest COLOR=15 – Saturday 4 April 2020, starting around midday Sydney time (UTC+11:00).

The theme for WOzFest COLOR=15 is the Apple ][’s support for colour graphics via colour monitors and TVs. I’ve got a surprise lined up for WOzFest COLOR=15, but all I can say for now is…stay tuned!

I will also be continuing to work on software preservation with the Applesauce. Applesauce is John Morris’ phenomenal USB interface for Apple ][ disk drives which takes Apple ][ software preservation to new heights by capturing magnetic flux-level images of disks.

I’ve completed most of the imaging of disks sent by Alex of the What is the Apple IIGS website – I have a few disks to try re-imaging after cleaning, but what I have done forms the basis of WOzFest.flux, my Internet Archive item of fluxed disks, which forms part of the larger collection of such Applesauce flux image items, Flux Capacity.

I’ll add titles over time – the next bunch of disks is the one Steve from Brisbane brought to WOzFest 14.25045MHz. Javier from America also kindly donated 3D-printed disk cleaning rigs which I used with great success on some of Alex’s disks, so those which need a bit of TLC will get a good buff.

I’m expecting possibly three Applesauces to be on hand, mine, Russell’s, and Michael’s (from The Retro Computing Roundtable). Michael has continued to acquire software titles which he’s hoping to prepare flux images of, and has previously preserved Sunburst titles (such as Learning to Cope with Pressure) at WOzFests.

I expect Applesauces to feature reasonably prominently at WOzFests for the foreseeable future. Not only on the strength of how many disks I have to image, but also based on the interest so far expressed by attendees and other members of the community.

Attendees are welcome to bring as many disks as possible for imaging – I’m not sure how many we’ll get done, though, at 3-5 minutes each (including entering metadata). I think I have about a thousand which need processing – and I don’t think that’s an exaggeration!

Existing projects are more than welcome to be brought along as well – whether it be repairs, upgrades, show and tells of new acquisitions…whatever you want to work on. If I get a chance, I’ll be testing a new troubleshooting/repair product I received this week which will help with my europlus refurbishment project, and will aid others working on pre-Apple //e machines.

I’ve not yet organised any Skype calls – I’ll give it some thought over the next few weeks.

As always, it will be held at my place at Wollstonecraft, on Sydney’s Lower North Shore – contact me for the address. Start time is 12:00(ish), with an expected finish time of around 21:30.

No lunch provided, but nibbles, soft drinks and Apple cider will be provided (I ask for a small contribution towards snacks), and we’ll all chip in for delivery pizza for dinner whenever we notice we’re hungry.

With WOzFest COLOR=15 I’m continuing to raise funds via Ko-Fi. This allows small (or large!) donations to be made, check out my intro post there for the lowdown, and feel free to drop anything you can in the tin to help me to run WOzFest moving forward.

I’m very happy to announce the date for the next WOzFest, WOzFest 14.25045 MHz – Saturday 23 November 2019, starting around midday Sydney time (UTC+11:00).

The theme for WOzFest 14.25045 MHz is the Apple ][ europlus, my favourite Apple ][! More generally, international Apple ][s (including the j-plus, which I have just secured a sample of) and clones will be the sub-theme – changing the PSU voltage and crystal frequency to allow (monochrome) PAL output is just the start of what Apple and international clone manufacturers did to get their machines suited to international markets.

I will also be continuing to work on software preservation with the Applesauce. Applesauce is John Morris’ phenomenal USB interface for Apple ][ disk drives which takes Apple ][ software preservation to new heights by capturing magnetic flux-level images of disks.

I’ve unfortunately not achieved much imaging since WOzFest 13 Sector, so I am hoping to really ramp up, with Alex from the What is the Apple IIGS website sending me four boxes of original software disks to image. It’s also looking like another set of disks will be personally delivered from interstate by a new attendee!

I’m expecting at least three Applesauces to be on hand, mine, Russell’s, and Michael’s (from The Retro Computing Roundtable). Michael has continued to acquire software titles which he’s hoping to prepare flux images of, and has previously preserved Sunburst titles (such as Learning to Cope with Pressure) at WOzFests.

I expect Applesauces to feature reasonably prominently at WOzFests for the foreseeable future. Not only on the strength of how many disks I have to image, but also based on the interest so far expressed by attendees and other members of the community.

Attendees are welcome to bring as many disks as possible for imaging – I’m not sure how many we’ll get done, though, at 3-5 minutes each (including entering metadata). I think I have about a thousand which need processing – and I don’t think that’s an exaggeration!

Existing projects are more than welcome to be brought along as well – whether it be repairs, upgrades, show and tells of new acquisitions…whatever you want to work on.

I’ve not yet organised any Skype calls – I’ll give it some thought over the next few weeks.

As always, it will be held at my place at Wollstonecraft, on Sydney’s Lower North Shore – contact me for the address. Start time is, appropriately, 12:00(ish), with an expected finish time of around 21:30. I may be a bit fuzzy after an early supplier Xmas party, but I reckon a room full of Apple ][s and Apple ][ enthusiasts will be a better hangover cure than hair of the dog!

No lunch provided, but nibbles, soft drinks and Apple cider (OK, I will be utilising hair of the dog as well) will be available (I ask for a small contribution towards snacks), and we’ll all chip in for delivery pizza for dinner whenever we notice we’re hungry.

With WOzFest 14.25045 MHz I’m trying something new – funding via Ko-Fi. This allows small (or large!) donations to be made, check out my intro post there for the lowdown, and feel free to drop anything you can in the tin to help me to run WOzFest moving forward.

I’m very happy to announce the date for the next WOzFest, WOzFest 13 Sector – Saturday 20 July 2019, starting around midday Sydney time (UTC+10:00).

I haven’t set a theme for WOzFest 13 Sector – however, I have organised the usual Kansas Fest video hookup we try for each year. The Skype call is slated to start at around 14:00 local time (23:00 Friday Kansas City time).

While there is no theme, I will be continuing to work on software preservation with the Applesauce. Applesauce is John Morris’ phenomenal USB interface for Apple ][ disk drives which takes Apple ][ software preservation to new heights by capturing magnetic flux-level images of disks. Since WOzFest 12:00, I’ve been able to capture 25 original disks which I don’t think have been captured elsewhere.

I expect Applesauces to feature reasonably prominently at WOzFests for the foreseeable future. Not only on the strength of how many disks I have to image, but also based on the interest so far expressed by attendees and other members of the community.

Attendees are welcome to bring as many disks as possible for imaging – I’m not sure how many we’ll get done, though, at 3-5 minutes each (including entering metadata). I think I have about a thousand which need processing – and I don’t think that’s an exaggeration!

Existing projects are more than welcome to be brought along as well – whether it be repairs, upgrades, show and tells of new acquisitions…whatever you want to work on.

As always, it will be held at my place at Wollstonecraft, on Sydney’s Lower North Shore – contact me for the address. Start time is, appropriately, 12:00(ish), with an expected finish time of around 21:30.

No lunch provided, but nibbles, soft drinks and Apple cider will be available (I ask for a small contribution towards snacks), and we’ll all chip in for delivery pizza for dinner whenever we notice we’re hungry.

UPDATE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, I unfortunately have to postpone WOzFest 12:00 – the new date is Saturday 25 May 2019, all other details remain the same. Steve in Brisbane has decided to also postpone QFest 12 to the same date. This of course means there won’t be a video hookup to GORF, which is a real shame.

With the announcements of WOzFest 12:00, QFest 12 and GORF in late April, Australia is set to have a great Autumn for retro-enthusiasts, especially those on (or able to get to) the Eastern Seaboard.

I’ve always encouraged other enthusiasts to have gatherings, and frequent WOzFest attendee Murray has had a couple at his place over the last few months, which he has christened Nozfest – the most recent, Nozfest II, was held in mid-January.

But GORF is the first multi-day retro-event I’m aware of in Australia since OzKFest 2017, and I’m really excited that it’s being held.

I became aware of GORF as I was finalising the date for WOzFest 12:00 – I had to think long and hard about the timing of WOzFest 12:00 once I was aware of GORF on two fronts: I badly wanted to go to GORF, and if I couldn’t I didn’t want to “interfere” with it.

However, the stars were not quite aligned for me to attend (much as I was sorely tempted) and I had a few reasons to stick to my chosen date – that plus the fact Steve in Brisbane could also accommodate that date for a QFest made it a pretty easy decision to stick to my original plans for 27 April.

What this does, then, is give those who can’t attend GORF but can get to Sydney or Brisbane an opportunity to feel some retro-love that weekend – and I’m hoping to do a three-sided video hookup between WOzFest 12:00, QFest 12 and GORF to further minimise our sense of loss. (If possible, I’d love that to be streamed, but this is the first anyone has heard of it!)

If you can make any of these three events, please do – it’ll be a landmark week for Australian retro-enthusiasts. If you can’t, consider holding one yourself, and maybe we can have many simultaneous retro-gatherings not just in Australia, but in other countries, too…oh come on! I can dream, can’t I?!

UPDATE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, I unfortunately have to postpone WOzFest 12:00 – the new date is Saturday 25 May 2019, all other details remain the same. Steve in Brisbane has decided to also postpone QFest 12 to the same date.

From our Northern Apple ][ Compadres comes the following announcement:

I am very happy to announce QFest 12, to be held in Brisbane on Saturday 27 April 2019, concurrent with WOzFest 12:00 and GORF, starting around midday Brisbane time (UTC+10:00).

As with previous QFests, there will be projects to work on, and an Applesauce on hand. We will enjoy video hook-ups with our Apple II brothers and sisters at other events around Australia. All food and drink will be provided.

I’m pleased that there’s another Australian Apple ][ gathering happening on 27 April – it’s going to be quite a weekend for retrocomputer enthusiasts along the Australian Eastern Seaboard, it’s quite unprecedented!

UPDATE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, I unfortunately have to postpone WOzFest 12:00 – the new date is Saturday 25 May 2019, all other details remain the same. Steve in Brisbane has decided to also postpone QFest 12 to the same date.

I’m very happy to announce the date for the next WOzFest, WOzFest 12:00 – Saturday 27 April 2019, starting around midday Sydney time (UTC+10:00).

The primary theme for WOzFest 12:00 is “time” – encompassing, among other things, time-related hardware and software, the ravages of time and what we might (or might not) do about them, and strategies for finding time to have fun with our retrocomputers.

Something new this WOzFest is a theme-related hardware project for attendees – it’ll be a treat to have the first WOzFest-branded product for attendees to work on, and the first product release at a WOzFest for some time. It’s an international collaboration which spans the timezones, and all I can say about the release of this particular product is: it’s about time!

For several reasons, there’ll be a secondary theme this time, and one not unrelated to prior WOzFests – preservation with the Applesauce. Applesauce is John Morris’ phenomenal USB interface for Apple ][ disk drives which takes Apple ][ software preservation to new heights by capturing magnetic flux-level images of disks. My interest in such devices goes back a way.

I’m expecting several Applesauces to be on hand – I’ve ordered a second-run unit for use by WOzFest attendees which arrived a short while ago, Michael from The Retro Computing Roundtable podcast received the upgrade board for his first-run unit and will be bringing it, and new WOzFest attendee Russell is expecting to be on hand with his second-run unit as well.

Attendees are welcome to bring as many disks as possible for imaging – I’m not sure how many we’ll get done, but it’ll be interesting to see how Applesauce works with a variety of disks. I think I have about a thousand which need processing – and I don’t think that’s an exaggeration!

Existing projects, related to the themes or not, are more than welcome to be brought along as well – whether it be repairs, upgrades, show and tells of new acquisitions…whatever you want to work on.

I’m still to organise any Skype calls but I am hoping we’ll be able to organise some sort of video hookup to GORF – The Great Oz Retro-Technology Festival – being held in Melbourne 24-28 April 2019 and organised by frequent WOzFest attendees Melody and April. There’ll definitely be another video hookup, which I hope to share details of shortly.

As always, it will be held at my place at Wollstonecraft, on Sydney’s Lower North Shore – contact me for the address. Start time is, appropriately, 12:00(ish), with an expected finish time of around 21:30.

No lunch provided, but nibbles, soft drinks and Apple cider will be available (I ask for a small contribution towards snacks), and we’ll all chip in for delivery pizza for dinner whenever we notice we’re hungry.